This Whimbrel went about its washing routine unperturbed as I sat and watched it. It would dunk its head under the water and then flick its head and neck backwards to spray water onto its back. It also shook its head from side to side, flapped its wings and generally enjoyed itself as it splashed water all over the place. This routine was repeated several times over a period of a couple of minutes until the bird was sopping wet.
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I watched as this heron caught a few tiny fish. There were a couple of these normally shy birds out in the open fishing in some shallow pools at Al Thakira. They were across the bay from the mangroves, away from where you would normally expect to find them skulking in the cover Crouched at the waters edge waiting patiently A rapid strike. Notice the extension of the neck. You almost expect the bird to overbalance Success this time and a tiny fingerling is speared A couple of gulps and it disappears down the hatch It walks off to try another spot
I was driving in the vicinity of where I had seen the Owl feeding on the large grasshopper the other day and much to my pleasant surprise I came across the whole family of owls this time. After sitting and observing them for a while it looked like the parents were perched strategically in the area and were allowing the three owlets ( almost fully grown now) to hone their hunting skills on whatever they wanted to chase down. They were in a rocky area adjacent to one of the irrigation fields so made several attempts at flying down and catching the grasshoppers as they appeared. They were not being very successful from what I could see. Their eyesight was very sharp though and even something as small as a beetle scurrying across the ground would catch their attention and lead to a low gliding flight down from their perch on the rocks for a closer inspection. Later they all gathered in the shade and protection of an overhanging rock which allowed me to get some images of them together again. One of the parents keeps a watchful eye on the owlets as they hone their hunting skills The first owlet arrives at the shady overhanging rock Soon joined by the second .... And also the third........ Here some allopreening is also being carried between two of the siblings Something puts them all on high alert
I went out to the farm the other day to see if there was any more migration activity. I came away with two good records. This is only my second sighting of a Hobby Falcon in the time I have been in Qatar, so I was very happy to come across this juvenile bird. Thanks to Mike and Neil for confirming the ID on this one for me. Common Quails are passage migrants which are difficult to spot as they prefer to creep away into cover when approached. One normally hears them calling from within the cover rather than seeing them out in the open like this. My attention was drawn to some movement and I saw it dust bathing in a shallow scrap it had made in some loose soil close to the edge of the field. Note the remains of the sand on its back.
The heat and the humidity continue. I can't remember it being so bad this time last year, but that could be old age creeping in. I read in the papers though that the hospitals have been kept busy treating patients for heat exhaustion of late. Despite this the birds carry on with their lives A male Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark seen here with a raised crest A female Black-crowned Sparrow-Lark. Here a Greater Hoopoe-Lark poses nicely in front of an OOF background This Indian Reed Warbler popped out of the cover to allow me to capture an image Signs of a successful breeding attempt. A juvenile Indian Reed Warbler
It looks like a wave of migratory Hoopoes has landed in Qatar. This week I recorded several of these birds, both at the local patch and also out at the farm. Now all I need is to get an image of one in flight to complete my collection.
I came across an owl which had caught this large grasshopper. It was perched on a rock with its catch firmly held in its claws. Note the head has already been removed. I watched as it further prepared the insect for ingestion by clipping off the barbed rear leg sections Into the beak anterior end first A couple of gulps and it disappears whole Facing into the breeze it opens its wings to cool off a little bit Followed shortly thereafter by a power nap
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